Newcomer planning a wedding for 75 guests & little cash

[LovePalms]

I also would highly recommend Weddings On Water. You may also be interested in The Event Factory for an inexpensive all-inclusive ceremony.

Get the dress on ebay, shipped from China, for about $150-$300. Figure on an additional $150-$300 to get it altered to fit.

Spend a lot of time on TheKnot.com and on ebay

Publix and Walmart both have excellent wedding cakes.

"DJ's on the Move" - ask for Josh. The DJ/MC should provide a question sheet that has all of the right questions that you probably would have otherwise forgotten about, such as, "Who will be making speeches?" and a list of common elements of the reception and what order should they go in, and several pages more.

$5000/150 = $33.33 -- that's about how much you would probably spend on food alone, and that's trying to be frugal. Wedding ceremonies get very expensive very quickly.

Pick the three most important elements, splurge on those, skimp on the rest.

Oh, and don't go into debt for the wedding ceremony. As tempting as it may be, it puts an enormous strain on the marriage right off the bat, and isn't worth it. After the ceremony you should be working on your marriage, not on paying off the ceremony.

Those are the most important things off the top of my head. Good luck, and congratulations.

[gypsychic]

Yes, the Weddings on Water boat is stationed near me up in Whitfield. It is at the Ramada Inn, a small one, but it has a neat little restaurant and tiki bar, and also a banquet hall. You might really want to consider this venue, I think everyone would have a blast.

Good luck to you!

[Big House]

Originally Posted by kiggy2

Hmm...$5,000 for 150 people? Can't figure on only 50 people accepting. Unless you have your reception in your back yard (and some have been very lovely) I don't think the numbers work. My daughter is getting married next June, and you won't believe how expensive things can be. Just do your homework, and congratulations!

That will buy 150 cases of yeungling! And, that's enough to get me there!

Look, not everyone has a ton of $$. And, no one is going to measure your happiness by how much you spend, and a there will be so many great memories that you will remember the rest of your life.

Get an Arbor, and then have a lawn party, I'll bring the hoses! Sorry, for the humor - can't help myself. But, you will have a wonderful wedding - money isn't really that important. And, it surely will NOT be an issue - just do what you can!

[Big House]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Yes, the Weddings on Water boat is stationed near me up in Whitfield. It is at the Ramada Inn, a small one, but it has a neat little restaurant and tiki bar, and also a banquet hall. You might really want to consider this venue, I think everyone would have a blast.

Good luck to you!

That is really a fantastic idea! I may have to send some of these to my daughter someday! I've been trying to barter PSL (seat licenses) to the Raven's in lieu of . . . But it isn't working. . .

[kiggy]

Originally Posted by Big House

That will buy 150 cases of yeungling! And, that's enough to get me there!

Look, not everyone has a ton of $$. And, no one is going to measure your happiness by how much you spend, and a there will be so many great memories that you will remember the rest of your life.

Get an Arbor, and then have a lawn party, I'll bring the hoses! Sorry, for the humor - can't help myself. But, you will have a wonderful wedding - money isn't really that important. tha And, it surely will NOT be an issue - just do what you can!

Totally agree with that, BH. So many people have huge expectations for their wedding, that they are disappointed when their pocketbook doesn't fit into the plan. For me, the simpler the better -- enjoy the day, cherish the memories, and don't worry about choreographing a huge performance. Simple is beautiful!

[TRosa]

Amazon.com: budget weddings: Books

Some great reading, you will probably be able to get a few of them at your library.

I know scrolling throw the catalog of books listed, some even had $500 -$5000 or less in their titles. I remember buying a couple of the books when I was attempting to help plan my daughter's wedding event; what an eye opener the books were for her. The markups the venues do just for the mere mention of the word wedding verses any other celebration is amazing. Even for providing the same basic facilities, servers and food prep and such the price tag could go up darn near 40+ percent.

[justNancy]

Anyone see this article? Interesting concept as long as it doesn't rain!

[url=http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/toilet-paper-wedding-dress-contest-winners-12-bridal-gowns-you-could-buy-with-a-coupon-2508828/#photoViewer=1]Toilet paper wedding dress contest winners: 12 bridal gowns you could buy with a coupon - Love + Sex on Shine[/url]

[Trbl39]

Okay I know people don't know me here and are probably going to think wow, you just can't do it RIGHT for so little money...but... I did it and people all said it was lovely. We are right outside Philadelphia and trust me weddings are big business here.

First hint is do not mention wedding when purchasing something if at all possible. Example: you can get a 3 tier cake a lot cheaper than a wedding cake. Same item much higher price if they know it's for a wedding.

I did one daughters wedding 4 years ago and she got married on the beach in Hawaii in a civil ceremony (just a few people)and then again 6 months later with the church and a full blown bridesmaid, flowers etc wedding reception with sit down filet mignon dinner for 85 people open bar and a dj. Both weddings cost a total of $7000 for everything and that included 2 gowns. I am now looking to do a May wedding next year for my other daughter who has even less to work with ($3000) and 65 people. It can be done. You have to work hard like it is your job. You have to search for good prices. You compromise on some things but not whats important to you. (IE We live around the corner from the church...she could have walked which prob would have been fun...but it was Dec 29th and cold. Pay for a limo? Nope, we had a brand new Honda Ridgeline Truck with plenty of room for a big gown in the back seat. She got to the church and we had the BEST time on the short ride there and back laughing all the way(to the bank with the money saved) wondering what people who saw us thought!) Just some examples of how we did it:
1)Hawaii Gown-daughter loves pink, married 7/7/07 so it was after prom season, got a pale pink prom gown that looked more like a wedding gown for $39 (Reduced by $200 so it was a nice gown). The sand ruined it anyway, but who cares for $39 and she felt like a princess.
2)Church Gown-$1800 new gown purchased for $150 on EBay (since 2nd daughter has less of a budget . You won't believe this one---shopgoodwill.com----got her a used gown that is beautiful and still selling at Davids Bridal at a cost of $800 for oh myyyyy $14.99 plus shipping for a whopping total of $30!)
3)Flowers-On EBay I got Silk centerpieces from a wedding that I re-worked into bouquets for all girls, boutonnières, corsages for parents and grandparents and reception centerpieces. $300
4)Local restaurant just starting banquets services(we were 1st wedding they did so they worked extra hard..about $3000 total for sit down filet or chicken and 5 hour open bar for 85 people.
Just a few examples. Only place we messed up was photographer---relative in photography school. You only get one chance for pics of your memories. Spend some money there! BUT there are so many people with digital cameras that we got about 3000 shots from photographer (of which maybe 50 were usable) but about another 3000 from guests and found more than enough to use.
Anyway you have to be patient to find what you want and search until you get something for a price you want to pay. Use Ebay/flea markets/yard sales/friends/relatives (my husband is a printer so yep free invites and save the dates).

Of course all of this depends on your comfort zone with various things. Wearing a used dressed may be something that makes you go eeek. So maybe you spend there and take away from somewhere else. Set your budget and stick with it. Now is the time to call in favors. As I explained to my 2nd daughter whose fiancee doesn't want to have a "redneck" wedding: Who are the people you are inviting to your wedding--are they not friends and relatives who know you? Why do they have to be "impressed"? This is about you two commiting yourself to each other for the rest of your life, not about the money you spent to do it. Spending less does not equal less it equals smart. Just my two cents...oh wait we need them for the wedding, I'm taking them back! LOL